Van Dusen Festival of Lights

Posted on December 3, 2019 by M

Firstly I wanted to thank Van Dusen for giving me the chance to bring my entire family! We had a blast.

If you’re in or around Vancouver, BC and you want to do something joyful for the holiday season, look no further than the Festival of Lights! With over one million lights decorating 15 acres, the scenery is sure to dazzle even the smallest of humans! With free rides on the carousel (my niece went on like 8 times!), a dancing light show, photos with Santa, food trucks and much much more – you are guaranteed to have a lot of fun! We did.

Don’t forget to share your images with the hashtag #vandusenFOL – Learn more about the event at: vandusenfestivaloflights.ca

Holiday Heights at Bloedel Conservatory

Posted on December 15, 2018 by M

I want to thank the Vancouver Park Board for giving me the chance to attend this beautiful event.

The Bloedel Floral Conservatory first opened it’s doors in 1969 and has been delighting families ever since. It had been an especially long time since I had been – probably over 15 years! I was in awe of the plants and the birds! The gorgeous lights that have been added to make holiday heights come to life.

We were warmly greeted and asked if we wanted to participate in the scavenger hunt. OF COURSE. No hesitation. Find all the GNOMES?! YES! In case you didn’t know, I love garden gnomes. I think it has to do with my fascination of all things kitsch.

The birds are stunning and wonderful to see. For me, it evokes memories of my past. I grew up in a house full of pets. One of them was Arthur. Arthur was a blue and gold macaw who absolutely loved my mom. They were inseparable.

Arthur now lives at the conservatory and I stopped by and talked to him. I could tell that he remembered me. He was family, after all.

We approached a photo wall, complete with hashtag and beautiful flowers. Couldn’t help but snap some shots! Insta-worthy moment.

I noticed that some of the trees had very eclectic decorations. Shells and other kinds of natural wonder adorning them. Things like this please me because they give me artistic ideas and I love the fact that they are so unique.

If you want to visit this glowing, tropical attraction that is sure to awe you, all the lovely details can be found here! https://vancouver.ca/parks-recreation-culture/holiday-heights.aspx

Thanks for reading and have the happiest of holidays!

Travel with Me! Nelson, BC: Part 2

Posted on May 9, 2018 by M

Nelson is a beautiful town nestled in the southern interior of British Columbia. The houses are quaint, the town is rich in history and there is so much to do and so much to eat.

Here’s some places we went and what we ate:

The Kootenay Bakery Cafe

The cafe is known for their delicious offerings, such as baked goods and a delightful array of hot foods. They are friendly and the Cheesy Cheese pizza, made with Jerseyland Gouda (and other cheeses) was perfectly seasoned and delightful. We also tried the chocolate donut and the salted chocolate cookie. All very satisfying. Justin had the Shepard’s Pie, made with grass fed beef and high quality ingredients. You can easily find a quick bite for under 10 bucks. There’s also a lot of day old goods that are perfect for snacking on too.

2. Yum Son Viet-Modern

With an urban-rustic interior and diverse menu, Yum Son was a big step out of my comfort zone. I really enjoyed the Ginger-Lemon Soda and I was able to order off the kids menu. I had a modified version of the Pint Size Noodle bowl and I substituted rice, chilli sauce and opted for tofu. Justin had the Yum Son Noodle bowl which he found to be incredibly delicious. This was a first for both of us, never having any kind of Vietnamese cuisine.

3. Thor’s Pizza

Thor’s is a great standby. They always have a different daily pizza variety. Slices and calzones are always prepared. I ordered a cheese pizza and Justin ordered by the slice. They are dedicated to quality ingredients and providing a unique pie.

4. Dairy Queen (Walk up)

Okay, I know – This is a CHAIN. I’ve honestly never seen a Dairy Queen walk up restaurant before so if you’re all about retro kind of places that are rare, this is a great photo opportunity. The weather was also incredibly hot so we really enjoyed having an Oreo Royal Blizzard to share.

5. Frog Peak Cafe

This Cafe isn’t technically in Nelson, It’s located in Crescent Valley which is about a 19 minute drive west. Eclectic, Delicious, full of local art with so much to look at. Order first, get a cute “animal” as your table number and sit down. My mouth was watering looking at everyone else dishes. It’s so hard to wait but so worth it.

My meal consisted of toasted sourdough with butter, scrambled eggs, two vegetarian sausages and hash browns. Justin had eggs benedict on an english muffin with lox, capers, dill and hash browns. We were so full.